Page 182 - California Stormwater Workshop Handouts

ATTACHMENT G

REQUIREMENTS FOR DISCHARGERS WHO HAVE BEEN GRANTED AN
OCEAN PLAN EXCEPTION FOR DISCHARGES TO ASBS

NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES)
GENERAL PERMIT FOR STORM WATER DISCHARGES ASSOCIATED

WITH INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES
(GENERAL PERMIT)

A. Areas of Special Biological Significance (ASBS)

1. ASBS are defined in the California Ocean Plan as “those areas designated by
the State Water Board as ocean areas requiring protection of species or
biological communities to the extent that alteration of natural water quality is
undesirable.”

2. The California Ocean Plan prohibits the discharge of waste to ASBS.

3. The California Ocean Plan authorizes the State Water Board to grant an
exception to Ocean Plan provisions where the board determines that the
exception will not compromise protection of ocean waters for beneficial uses and
the public interest will be served.

4. On March 20, 2012, the State Water Board adopted Resolution 2012-0012
(amended by Resolution 2012-0031 on June 19, 2012) which contained a
general exception to the California Ocean Plan for discharges of storm water and
non-point sources (ASBS Exception). This resolution also contains the Special
Protections that are to be implemented for direct discharges to ASBS.
Resolution 2012-0012 is hereby incorporated by reference and its requirements
must be complied with by industrial storm water Dischargers discharging directly
to ASBS.

5. This General Permit requires Dischargers who have been granted an Ocean
Plan exception for discharges to ASBS to comply with the requirements
contained in the Special Protections. These requirements are contained below.

B. ASBS Non-Storm Water Discharges

1. The term “ASBS Non-Storm Water Discharges” means any waste discharges
from a municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) or other NPDES permitted
storm drain system to an ASBS that are not comprised entirely of storm water.

2. Only the following ASBS Non-Storm Water Discharges are allowed, provided that
the discharges are essential for emergency response purposes, structural
stability, slope stability or occur naturally:

Order 2014-0057-DWQ 1